Baghdad: Presidential candidate, legal expert, Counselor Salem Hawas, stated that Article (70) of the Constitution requires the election of the President of the Republic by a two-thirds majority of the members of the Council of Representatives, while Article (72/Second/B) obliges the election of a new president within thirty days from the date of the parliament’s first session.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Hawas explained that the parliament held its main sessions on December 29 and 30, 2025, followed by a third session on January 27, 2026, and a fourth on February 1, 2026. Additional meetings also took place between these dates, including the constitutional oath of ministers who became MPs, the formation of parliamentary committees, and other organizational procedures, before sessions were adjourned without setting a new date, a situation he described as a clear constitutional dilemma.

He added that Article (76) establishes a direct consequence following the election of the president, as the nominee of the largest parliamentary bloc must be tasked with forming the government within fifteen days of the election. Calculating the deadline from January 27, 2026 sets its expiry on February 10, 2026; however, with no president elected so far, the time limit is eroding and threatens the government formation process.

Hawas stressed that the Constitution addressed vacancy cases in Article (75/Third), obligating parliament to elect a president within thirty days, warning that continuing to adjourn sessions without a fixed date could lead to a constitutional vacuum affecting the legitimacy of the designation process and the balance of powers.